The Sharks are south west England's top-ranked American football team
The Cornish Sharks American football team are to hold a series of rookie trials to try and uncover new talent.
The Sharks, who won their first ever play-off match in the British American Football League earlier this summer, are holding three sessions this month.
Coach Brian Smallworth and his team will cast their eye over players on three Sundays - 9, 16 and 23 November - at Newquay Sports Centre.
The trials are also open to existing players who want to play new positions.
Smallworth says that people trying out do not need to have ever played the sport before.
"We have a very experienced coaching staff that has a great track record of teaching players from scratch the basic techniques at every position in order to get players up to the standard required to play," he said.
"The trials are also a great way to give newcomers an insight not just into the game itself but also into what it takes to play Sharks football."
Many of these players have come from rugby backgrounds and at first were very sceptical about American football as it is sometimes perceived by rugby people that we are a load of sissies who wear shoulder pads and helmets
Cornish Sharks head coach Brian Smallworth
The team has just finished its second season in the South West Conference in the BAFL's Division Two.
They won their first ever play-off match against the Peterborough Saxons after finishing second in the conference before going on to lose to the eventual winners, London Cobras, in the last eight.
Over two thirds of the Sharks players had never played the sport before joining the club.
"Many of these players have come from rugby backgrounds and at first were very sceptical about American football as it is sometimes perceived by rugby people that we are a load of sissies who wear shoulder pads and helmets," Smallworth said.
"But having played a full season of American ootball they actually enjoy the benefits of playing both sports and, of course, the two seasons don't clash, which means they maintain all year-round fitness. At present we have 14 players playing rugby in Cornwall and Devon."
The Cornish Sharks played their first season in 2007
They finished second in the BAFL's Division Two South West Conference in 2008
They have reached the play-offs in both of their seasons
They won their first play-off match in 2008, beating the Peterborough Saxons 9-6 with a last-gasp field goal
And he says people who have played almost any sort of sport will be able to find a position which would suit them on his roster.
"Rugby players bring with them their skills in tackling and ball handling; basketball players are skilled at catching the ball, are physical and many are very fast; soccer players bring speed and an ability to kick the football; wrestlers and martial artists have the desired toughness and tackling skills," he added.
"We even have a table tennis player on the team who has good hand-eye coordination and the aggressive explosion at the point of attack - all these skills are required to play American football."
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